AHCA/NCAL will use campaign to offer Congress substantive alternatives to cutting long term and post-acute care sectors

Contact: AHCAPressOffice@ahca.org September 10, 2013 (202) 898-3165

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

9/10/2013

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Washington, DC – As Congress returns from its August recess this week to tackle pressing legislative items, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) today announced the launch of their fall advocacy campaign, “We are the Solution.” The four-month long initiative will target congressional staffers, members and senators with specific policy alternatives in lieu of further cuts to the profession.

“This Congress is facing some difficult fiscal challenges as they look for ways to pay for important legislation such as the doc fix,” said Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “Our sector believes it can help members and senators find solutions that produce savings while advancing quality in the process. We must take market basket cuts off of the table, and focus on the stronger solution – smart, innovative policy ideas.”

In the coming weeks, the Association will present draft legislation to lawmakers in an effort to help staff and committees find substantive alternatives to cuts such as bad debt and sequestration, among other things, that have already impacted the profession.

Specifically, AHCA/NCAL plans to use its new campaign to avoid cuts through any doc fix remedy. AHCA/NCAL plans to offer the following solutions:

Reducing Hospital Readmissions: By employing incentives for skilled nursing care centers to lower readmission rates to hospitals, the Association estimates $2 billion in savings can be achieved over ten year.

Site Neutral Payment Structure: By requiring providers to streamline payment plans and focus on the health outcomes of the patient irrespective of where the individual was treated, the government can produce more savings.

AHCA/NCAL soft-launched this push during August, hosting 48 congressional visits to skilled nursing centers across the country. The Association anticipates an additional 149 member fly-ins in the remainder of the year.

In addition to its advocacy efforts, the Association also announced a nearly $1 million ad buy including print, radio, and online advertisements that will run inside the Beltway featuring specifics on the Association’s legislative proposals.

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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) represent more than 12,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers and homes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. By delivering solutions for quality care, AHCA/NCAL aims to improve the lives of the millions of frail, elderly and individuals with disabilities who receive long term or post-acute care in our member facilities each day. For more information, please visit www.ahca.org or www.ncal.org.